Original Item: Only One Available. This cap is a very nice example of a German WWII Wehrmacht Heer Army Officer Schirmmütze visor cap. It features the typical green wool gabardine construction with a forest green band and a traditional high forward crown. The also has matching Weiß (white) piping along the top edge and flanking either side of the band. This is the Waffenfarbe (Corps Color) for the Infanterie (Infantry) and Motorisiert Infanterie (Motorized Infantry). It has the correct silver bullion chin strap, indicating that it is for an officer. The crown of the cap does not have a stiffener installed, however it is internally padded, so it maintains the shape without one.
It is decorated with a well detailed cast aluminum eagle insignia on the peak and and an open aluminum wreath surrounding a tri-color cockade on the band. The chin strap is attached with the standard pebbled aluminum buttons on either side of the cap. The vulcanfibre visor has a smooth black leather-look upper, exhibiting minimal wear along the edge and is beige on the underside. The tan leather sweatband is in very good condition, showing only light use, however the edge stitching has deteriorated over the years, so at present it is only partly attached.
The inside of the cap is lined with cream sheer fabric, most likely rayon. The top plastic shield is fully present with fully intact stitching. It has an eagle logo in the center with Deutsche Wertarbeit (German Workmanship) written on it, surrounded by a circle. Below this it reads Sonderklasse (Special Class). This type of marking was used by many different manufacturers, so it unfortunately does not give us any information on the maker.
Condition is very good, showing little wear except for the issues mentioned before. There are a few small stains on top, with a few moth nips overall.
A very nice example of a classic hat worn by German Army Infantry Officers in WWII. Very impressive and ready to display!
The German Schirmmütze Visor Cap:
The visor cap (Schirmmütze) was an important part of the headgear worn by German uniformed military, civil, paramilitary and political organizations during the Third Reich. This was the standard cloth headgear worn as a part of the service uniform. Visor caps were worn outdoors as well as indoors, and were often required to be worn by all personnel on duty. Visor caps were made in versions specific to each organization and were often further differentiated through the use of insignia, colored piping, or style of chin cord, to indicate rank, role or branch. The insignia used on these caps ranged from simple stamped metal emblems, to elaborate hand embroidery. Visor caps were issued to enlisted soldiers and NCOs in the military and in some other organizations. Officers had to purchase their own hats, and lower ranks could choose to purchase caps that were of a higher quality than the rather basic, issue examples. The private purchase caps were generally made in very high quality, with fine materials. A wide variety of fabrics were used, from Trikot and doeskin, to heavy wool, or even lightweight white fabric for summer wear. In the military, issue of these caps was generally suspended shortly after the outbreak of the war, but they continued to be worn by some troops until the end of the war.